Point of View

Primarily the novel is told from Laura or Janice's point of view, in first person. There is one section where the story is told from Cody's point of view. Occasionally, Janice views herself in the second person, and when this occurs it is usually because Janice is disassociating from the event. Since Laura is a recovering mental patient, and Janice is a young distraught and angry woman, both of them are fairly unreliable narrators. Cody's perspective, when offered, is peppered with half truths and more of what he wants to happen than what really did happen.

Language and Meaning

This novel is set in a small border town in Texas, which means that many of the customs, words, and influences will be Mexican and Hispanic in nature. Often, Janice will use Spanish words interchangeably with English.

Structure

The novel is told using many different techniques...